City of Placerville
Placerville is a charming California "gold rush" town named after the
placer gold deposits found in its river beds and hills in the late 1840’s.
Day Trip: A walking, shopping and historical sightseeing tour of Historic Downtown Placerville (old Hangtown)
The City of Placerville, population 10,350, is centrally located between Sacramento, the State capitol, and South Lake Tahoe, world-famous recreation center. Situated above the fog line and below the snow line, Placerville boasts an ideal climate with four distinct seasons. Accessibility to Placerville is via State Highway 49 and U.S. Highway 50, along one of the most traveled corridors in California. Placerville's treasured heritage is reflected in the historical, nineteenth century architecture of its downtown core. In addition, Placerville is the County seat and the center of financial, commercial, civic, and Government activity.
Serving as a "hub" for many nearby destinations and activities, Placerville is well situated. Premier wineries, Apple Hill Ranches, Historic Coloma, the American River, and the El Dorado National Forest are all located within minutes of downtown Placerville. The future of Placerville's business economy will continue to be strengthened and infused by these established and newly developing areas of opportunity surrounding the hub.
Within the hub, local merchants, property owners, and Government officials are striving to insure economic vitality for Placerville. These groups are working together on business improvement and revitalization projects to preserve, promote, and enhance the quality of life for all in the community. Location, climate, a rich heritage, and a high level of commitment and pride have allowed Placerville to emerge as "the destination" in El Dorado County.
The history of Placerville began with the "rush for gold" to California in the 1840's. The highly publicized discovery of gold in the tail race section at Sutter's Mill in Coloma (only 10 miles from Placerville) in 1848 resulted in the migration of thousands of fortune-seekers to Northern California in the mid 1800's. The town of Placerville was named after the placer deposits found in the river bed between Spanish Ravine and the town plaza. During the gold rush, Placerville became an important supply center for the surrounding mining camps.
Placerville was also known as "Hangtown" in its early days. Although many stories exist on how this name was acquired, the most famous story involved a colorful event that occurred in January of 1849. A gambler named Lopez gained a lot of attention for his big winnings at a local saloon. After he retired for the evening, several men tried to overpower him. Lopez fought back, and with the help of others, the robbers were captured. During their "flogging", three of the robbers were also accused of being wanted for a murder and robbery that occurred at a gold camp on the Stanislaus River.
Placerville is a charming California "gold rush" town named after the
placer gold deposits found in its river beds and hills in the late 1840’s.
Day Trip: A walking, shopping and historical sightseeing tour of Historic Downtown Placerville (old Hangtown)
The City of Placerville, population 10,350, is centrally located between Sacramento, the State capitol, and South Lake Tahoe, world-famous recreation center. Situated above the fog line and below the snow line, Placerville boasts an ideal climate with four distinct seasons. Accessibility to Placerville is via State Highway 49 and U.S. Highway 50, along one of the most traveled corridors in California. Placerville's treasured heritage is reflected in the historical, nineteenth century architecture of its downtown core. In addition, Placerville is the County seat and the center of financial, commercial, civic, and Government activity.
Serving as a "hub" for many nearby destinations and activities, Placerville is well situated. Premier wineries, Apple Hill Ranches, Historic Coloma, the American River, and the El Dorado National Forest are all located within minutes of downtown Placerville. The future of Placerville's business economy will continue to be strengthened and infused by these established and newly developing areas of opportunity surrounding the hub.
Within the hub, local merchants, property owners, and Government officials are striving to insure economic vitality for Placerville. These groups are working together on business improvement and revitalization projects to preserve, promote, and enhance the quality of life for all in the community. Location, climate, a rich heritage, and a high level of commitment and pride have allowed Placerville to emerge as "the destination" in El Dorado County.
The history of Placerville began with the "rush for gold" to California in the 1840's. The highly publicized discovery of gold in the tail race section at Sutter's Mill in Coloma (only 10 miles from Placerville) in 1848 resulted in the migration of thousands of fortune-seekers to Northern California in the mid 1800's. The town of Placerville was named after the placer deposits found in the river bed between Spanish Ravine and the town plaza. During the gold rush, Placerville became an important supply center for the surrounding mining camps.
Placerville was also known as "Hangtown" in its early days. Although many stories exist on how this name was acquired, the most famous story involved a colorful event that occurred in January of 1849. A gambler named Lopez gained a lot of attention for his big winnings at a local saloon. After he retired for the evening, several men tried to overpower him. Lopez fought back, and with the help of others, the robbers were captured. During their "flogging", three of the robbers were also accused of being wanted for a murder and robbery that occurred at a gold camp on the Stanislaus River.